The Last Week
by Thorn In Your Side
Summary: SEQUEL to 'One Week'. The week preceding Shisui's death. Heh, I sound so official...oh crap I just ruined it. T.T
1. Sunday

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto. **

**Summary: SEQUEL to One Week. The week preceding Shisui's death. **

**Ya-re, ya-re, look who's back! Now with twice as much vigor of youthfulness! –primeval rawr-**

**Chapter One****: **_**Sunday**_

**All Moansday, Tearsday, Wailsday, Thumpsday, Frightday and Shatterday. **

**-James Joyce**

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Itachi's heart keened wildly in his frozen chest as Danzou-san briefed him on his mission. His mind groped in the darkness he's thrust himself in for some light, for some kindness, to be spared the agony of what he was hearing—but it was no use. He'd known this moment would come ever since the ANBU Root founder had asked him to read the scroll of the Uchiha clan's secret in the shrine. He'd known from the moment he'd learnt the secret of the mangekyou that he would be asked to do this.

But his heart keened on, unheeding to the voice of reason. What was he _**doing**_? This mission was physically impossible for him! He couldn't do it, he wouldn't do it, no, no, no, no, no, no!

NO.

"I shall give you a week. You must finish it by then," Danzou said.

"I will."  
"We're counting on you, Itachi-kun. You need no reminding that the village is eternally in your debt. You know this."  
"I do."  
Danzou sighed heavily, falsely. "It's tragic. But necessary. Believe me, I feel you pain, I understand—"

"Danzou-san," Itachi interrupted, his fist shaking, "I will say this only once. You do _**not**_ understand. You cannot even begin to comprehend it. Please. Do not try to comfort me."  
0000000000elsewhere00000000000

Shisui blinked in confusion. "What?"  
His father repeated with a grim expression, "You must keep an eye on—"

"I heard," Shisui laughed, his heart pounding. What did this mean? Did the clan no longer trust Itachi? Impossible—his best friend would lay his life down for the clan, everyone knew that! "Why? It's not like Itachi would betray us," his voice slipped despite his efforts to keep it level, his heart sensing what his mind didn't (couldn't?)—something was wrong.

Aarai-san, the assistant commander of the police force scoffed. "It is exactly because we believe Itachi would betray us that we ask this of you. You are his best friend, his most precious nakama."

Shisui locked eyes with his father, panicking slightly. "Father…"

"Shisui," he said in that voice that meant he was speaking as a commander, not a father, "Itachi is the boy I've watched grow up with you. He's my second son. I believe in his integrity as much as you do. But not everyone does…they don't know him like you do. You will carry out this mission as a junior Konoha police officer. That's an order."

Shisui nodded, saluted, and left. His legs took him to the park where he'd first asked Itachi to play with him, nearly six years ago.

With an awkward jolt, he realized what day it was.

000000ichiriki000ramen00000stand00000000

"Itachi!"

The thirteen year old looked up, a smile inching its way across his face as he saw his friend.

"Ramen?" he offered, holding out his chopsticks. Shisui needed no second bidding. "Teuchi jii-san!" he mumbled around a mouthful, "Ger 'im another 'owl."

"No, thanks, I'm short on money," Itachi declined.

Teuchi laughed. "This one's on the house!"

"He never does that for anyone. It's only 'cause you're here," Itachi whispered to the other boy.

"You're welcome," Shisui grinned. As he grew older, he'd insisted on growing his hair longer, until the thick voluminous curls fell to his waist in a ripple of silk. His eyes had remained absolutely unchanged, still the sleepy slits of grey-black, but now they could flash red as well. Shisui's puppy fat had lingered, giving him an appealing, babyish look that Itachi had outgrown.

Next to him, Itachi looked (and felt) older than he really was.

"Guess what day it is!"  
Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Uhhh…Sunday?"

"It's a week shy of six years of best friendship," Shisui scowled, "And

we've never celebrated it! For our sixth anniversary, we will!"

"Shisui, we're friends, not boyfriends."

"Oh, shut up."

Itachi chuckled. "So how do you plan on celebrating?"

"I was thinking…technically we became friends over the course of a

week. So every day we should do something symbolic that represents that day of that week!"

Itachi tapped his chin thoughtfully. "So…today you want to invite me to a kick-the-can game and have me refuse?"

Shisui sniffed. "Don't be an idiot. Today you and I will just go for a movie, and we'll have lunch tomorrow together!"

Itachi shook his head. "I have a mission tomorrow morning."

Shisui gasped. "You just refused my invitation! It's like a kami-sama is watching over my plan!"

Itachi rolled his eyes. "Baka, you already _**knew**_ I had mission."

"If you call me a baka again…" Shisui warned.

"What'll you do? BAKA."

"Ita-hime!! ITA-HIME!! ITA-HI—mmmmph!" Shisui's yell was muffles as Itachi stuffed a hunk of bread down his throat. He began chokig, and the noodle girl who washed the dishes ran over eagerly to help him out. Before she could get a chance, however, Itachi thumped his back and his friend straightened, watery-eyed.

"Evil pig! Nearly killed me!"

"Nearly," Itachi shrugged, unrepentant.

"Hmph. Let's go watch that movie Ita-hi…uh, Itachi."

Itachi threw an arm around Shisui's shoulder. "I pick the movie!"

"Aw man! You always pick the most boring one!" Shisui whined.

"And you always pick the most idiotic one," the ANBU member shot back. Arguing, they strutted off, and the noodle girl sighed…

…hoping at least one wasn't gay.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**I think I messed up on the timeline…how much younger is Sasuke? T.T**

**Annnnyyyywaaaay…review! **


	2. Moansday

The Last Week

**The Last Week**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Shisui or Itachi or Naruto or whoever…**

**Chapter Two****: **_**Moansday **_

**Don't break my achey-pachey heart**

'**Cause its just so small**

**But it's got enough space for you!**

**-Anushaya, friend. **

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"Shisui?" Ayako frowned, alarmed that her son was up so early, "Where are you going?"

"Ita-hime's got a mission, I wanna have breakfast before he has to leave!"

"Why?"

"It's the week we became friends, so we're celebrating it…long story kaa-chan, tell ya later!" he yelled as he shot out of the house.

Ayako sighed. What had happened to the days when she'd had to shove him out of the house to go to school?

00000000itachi's house0000000000000000

"What? Already left!?"

"Before even his father woke up," Mikoto smiled. Sasuke ran out and into Shisui.

"Shisui nii-san!"  
"Hey there Sasu-chan!"

The ten year old scowled. "Don't call me Sasu-chan! I'm going to start the academy next week! I'm all growed up!"

"All growed up, huh?" Shisui laughed, "Ok, Sasuke-taichou, I'll remember that."

The little boy beamed at him, and Shisui ruffled his hair affectionately.

00000000oooo00000000

"Rui! Dara! Get up!" Shisui hissed, scrambling in through their window.

Rui, who'd easily grown up to be the most handsome, arrogant one in the group, curled deeper into his sheets. His twin, who'd come up in the shallow end of the gene pool, had become an awkward, scrawny adolescent who hadn't yet unlocked his sharingan.

"Doom upon he who wakes us at such an ungodly hour," Dara mumbled, "Go away before I set you on fire!"

"…" Shisui sighed. He should've known better than to try and wake these two up anyway. He raced to Tsuki's house, reflecting on the past years. While Itachi had quickly graduated and become chuunin, jounin, and then ANBU, the rest of his friends had progressed at a more…_**normal**_ pace. Izuki had dropped out four years ago to become an author/mangaka. Her parents had opposed her choice, understandably, but when she'd submitted a manuscript to her uncle (a publisher in Tokyo) it had been a hit. Of course she worked under a penname, so she was only famous in Konoha. The penname, much to Itachi's chagrin, was Ita-hime.

Tsuki had shown a natural talent for genjutsu and ninjutsu that her taijutsu couldn't match, and had passed the graduation exam the same year as Itachi. Determined to compete with him, she'd worked hard and become a chuunin two years ago before finally acknowledging that he just couldn't be caught up with.

Rui and Dara had goofed their way through it all and had finally graduated six months ago. They were on a team with a girl from the Inuzuka clan (Hana) under a jounin called Genma.

Shisui had graduated four years ago, and had become a chuunin four months ago. His dream was to eventually pick up after his father as commander of the Uchiha Police Squad, but that dream was far away in the future. He could afford to take his time. Uchiha was eternal.

00000000hehthat'swhathethinks000000

"Tsuki?" he whispered in the darkness of her room. She stirred in her bed. "Who's it?" she mumbled.

"It's Shisui, let's go!"

"What? Where? Go away, today's my first day off from missions in a freaking month!"

"Man, did I wake up early on a Monday for no good reason? No one wants to come with me!" he grumbled. Another head poked out from under Tsuki's sheets.

"Why are _**you**_ up so early anyway?" Izuki asked.

"I was going to meet Ita-hime but he left on a mission. And…why are you two in bed together?" he raised his eyebrows and placed his palms together, "spending some quality 'girl time' together are we?"

A pillow hit him square in the face.

"Maaa, girl, maaa," he drawled, "You don't have to get so violent."  
Izuki yawned hugely and crawled out of bed as he told them about his idea of celebrating the 'Week of Friendship'.

"You two better not ditch us on the first two days of the Festival," Tsuki warned him, "Other than that, go on and knock yourselves out."

"Yeah, yeah," he sighed, "What should I do today?"

"Pack a picnic and surprise him on his mission," Izuki suggested from the bathroom.

Shisui grinned. "Brilliant! I think I'm going to kiss you for that! Incoming!!"

She shrieked and locked the door just as he leapt to open it. "PERVERT!" Tsuki yelled, throwing another pillow, "Get out!"  
0000000000

Shisui hovered around his father in the kitchen, raring to go but knowing better than to interrupt Uchiha Sado in the cooking process.

"Why can't kaa-chan pack lunch," he muttered, "She'd finish faster."

"Did you say something?"

"Nope, nothing at all," his son said sweetly.

"Well, here it is," Sado declared proudly, "Go, have fun!"

Shisui nodded and walked away. Have fun…how far did his father mean that? The words of Aarai, the deputy commander floated through his head again. "Its exactly because we believe he will betray us…"

Shisui shook the disturbing thoughts out of his head. He trusted Itachi with his life. It didn't matter what others thought—Shisui knew Itachi was always right.

He just was.

00000000000itachi'smission00000000000

Itachi had been quiet. Well, he was always _**quiet**_, but that quietness had been so fiercely held today that his teammates hadn't even dared to speak in his presence.

He kept up a cool composure on the surface as he always did, because no one must guess that something was wrong. But just beneath the surface, his emotions bubbled and boiled and crushed him with their intensity.

Yesterday…the time he'd spent with his best friend had been heaven. He hadn't thought of this awful mission, of what must be done to gain the mangekyou without which he could never fulfill his true duty. What a cruel twist, that _**this**_ week would be the week to receive _**those**_ orders! Itachi pushed away the thoughts, those dark, frightening thoughts, and told himself that as a shinobi he must show no emotions, but it was pretty useless. Shisui's smiling face kept haunting him, daring him, daring him to freeze his heart enough to…enough to…

Enough to…

Itachi couldn't even _**think**_ it. How was he supposed to do it? If there was anyone he might love more than Shisui, it was only Sasuke. Shisui was his best friend, his sanctuary. Shisui understood him perfectly, better than Itachi understood himself.

Could he even live without the boy? Was it even possible for him to go on breathing after he stole Shisui's life? Could he survive?

"Itachi!"

"Shisui?" Itachi frowned, "What're you doing here?"

"I brought lunch! You're done with your mission, ne?"

Itachi looked at his team, who gazed blankly back. "Yes, but—"

"But nothing," Shisui said bossily, "We're having lunch. You can report to Sandaime-sama later."

"Ossou," Itachi smiled, and his teammates nearly fainted. Dear lord, the boy _**smiled**_? He was capable of something so _**human**_?

00000000000000000

They found a secluded glade, and Shisui laid out the food. Itachi couldn't meet his eye. He hated himself for it, but every time he tried, he could only think of how those grey-black smiling slivers of trust would look in death, how they would look at him with hatred and disgust.

"Ita-hime, you okay man?"

"I'm fine," he said quickly.

Shisui's gaze bored into him, inescapable. "Ita-hime?"

"I'm _**fine**_."

"No you're not. I just called you Ita-hime twice and you didn't react. What's wrong?" he asked, scooting closer to his friend.

Itachi looked down at his chopsticks. "Nothing," he lied.

"I'm not stupid, Itachi. Since when did you hide things from me?"

"I'm not hiding anything."

Shisui placed a hand on Itachi's cheek. "They think you'll betray them," he said softly, "Did something happen? Does Danzou-san suspect you?"

Itachi's heart was screaming again, and it felt as though a silver knife was cutting it clean in half. Shisui cared so much, so genuinely, believe him so completely and blindly…Itachi was going to betray that trust—betray them all.

He took a deep, shuddering breath. Shisui's hand moved to his shoulder.

"Itachi," he said sadly, "Sometimes, I wish you weren't so talented. They would never have made you do this if you weren't. They would've found someone else, and you and I would never have secrets between us."

Itachi agreed with him wholeheartedly.

After that, they ate in silence, then returned to Konoha. And Shisui could no longer deny it: something was wrong, very wrong in his world.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

DUN DUN DUN

Heh, I have fun ruining the moment.


	3. Tearsday

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto Masashi, not me. Yup, yup. **

**-nods vehemently-**

**A/N: Ah…just to make things clear, they're not gay together. I have my suspicions about Itachi, but they're not gay together. Sorry to burst your bubble!**

**Chapter Three****: **_**Tearsday**_

Mwuah. Love you, so much, so much, love you.

Mwuah. Want you, so much, so much, want you.

Kiss. Need you, so bad, so bad, I do.

Breath. Live on, live on, you have to.

-Lillian, other friend.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Thud.

Thwack, thud, thuck.

Four kunai found their marks in four different window frames (one latticed with lace, one trellised with plants, one wide open to the world, the last shut firm). A message was attached to each one.

_Dear Tsuki/Izuki/Shisui/Itachi,_ it read_, Bonfire tonight on Mt. Hokage, above the Nidaime. Meet us in the chamber behind the Sandaime's nose at seven o' clock sharp. –Rui, Dara_.

"Idiots," Izuki muttered to herself, "As though we're not all meeting for lunch today. As though they can't tell us then."

"Over dramatic bakas," Tsuki sighed.

"…" Itachi smiled and stuck the note with all the others he'd accumulated in his wardrobe.

"What to do I wear?" Shisui mused, sitting on the stinker.

000000000000

"Itachi?" his mother asked, "I'm sorry sweetie, I know you have plans, but can you get away early and take care of Sasuke in the afternoon?"

"Alright."

Sasuke beamed at his brother. "You'll show me shuriken moves?"

"Of course," Itachi murmured, bending to hug him.

"Where are you going Itachi?" Fugaku asked. The teen stiffened instinctively.

"ANBU paperwork."

"Hmph. Don't forget your duties," his father warned, "Act as expected of my son."  
"Danna-sama," his wife said quietly, a warning against warnings. Itachi pretended not to hear, and departed.

0000000000000000

"Shisui!" Izuki's mom exclaimed, "Come on in, I haven't seen you in ages!"  
"That's cause he uses windows rather than doors," her daughter grinned, "What's up?"

"Nothing," he replied, "I need a reason to see my friend?"

"Come upstairs, I'm working on a one-shot doujinshi," she invited, "It's about two brothers. They love each other very much and everyone but the elder deceives and betrays the younger…or so the younger thinks. He grows up and kills his nii-san, only to find out his brother was trying to protect him all along. He loses his mind and kills himself."

"Cheerful," Shisui said sarcastically. She shrugged. "It sells. Anyway, the deadline is next week, and I still have to finish inking it and refine the dialogue."

"You work harder than I do, don't you?" he murmured in awe.

She laughed. "This is a different type of hard work, but basically, we're both working to bring in money to our village."

"Izuki…" he hesitated for a second. He'd wanted to talk about Itachi, about his worries…but something stopped his words. Izuki would worry over Itachi too, though she wouldn't show it. "Izuki," he said instead, "Would you go out with me?"

She frowned at him. "What were you actually going to say?"

"I wasn't—"

"Don't lie. I could see your thoughts written all over your face and they weren't about asking me out."

"It's about Itachi," Shisui confided, "Father and those in the Police Force have asked me to watch him—and Itachi's hiding something from me! I think they suspect he'll betray the clan, but that's ridiculous, Itachi would never do that! And at lunch yesterday he was all weird and I _**know**_ he had a secret, I think Danzou-san suspects him…I'm scared for him."

Izuki shuffled her feet and reached out for his hand. "Shisui, don't worry, 'm'kay? Itachi will always be Itachi. He hates his job, he hated his life as a ninja, he hates violence. But none of that hate compares to how much he loves Konoha, the clan, how much he loves _**us**_. He wouldn't betray us. And he's smart—there's no way Danzou-san is smarter."

Shisui took a deep breath and managed a smile. But Izuki could sense how close he was to tears (she liked to think of it as her female intuition) and hugged him.

'Aw, c'mon you're a big boy, it'll be okay," she laughed. At thirteen, she was still a good head taller than the bys, but they took comfort in the fact that all their fathers stood over six feet, and they too would soon hit puberty. For now though, she held his head to her chest, one hand on the back of his skull, the other wrapped around his waist.

He grinned into her shirt. "Gimme a minute," he said lecherously. She pushed him away with a shriek.

"PERVERT!"

00000000000000000000000

"Friends!" Rui declared grandly, spreading his arms wide, "We gather here today to partake in lunch, on the third day of the week when we five first became six! I would like to say—"

"Shut up and sit down, you fool, the noodles are growing mold and the wine's already aged enough!" Tsuki said, stuffing a piece of dim sum in his mouth.

"What are you talking about?" Dara frowned, "There's no wine here."

"Its an idiom, idiot," Izuki said lazily, sitting criss cross applesauce between Itachi and Shisui in the six-seating booth. Tsuki sat across her, nodding. "Yeah, an idiom."

"You people have no appreciation for a great orator," Rui sulked. Shisui threw a wadded up napkin at him. "Not when it's you, no."

Itachi began to relax. Here, away from his ANBU colleagues, under the lighthearted warmth of his friends' influence, he could unwind, and just be Itachi. It wasn't like a hellion hid beneath the cool exterior—he wasn't so _**drastically**_ different from how he appeared. But he was someone who could laugh, and joke.

"Don't sulk, Rui," he said indulgently, "What were you gonna say?"

"Dig in!" the boy laughed, and his friends obliged.

000000000later00000000

"Leaving already?" Izuki asked. Itachi smiled at her. "Gotta go baby sit Sasuke," he excused himself.

"I'll come with you!" Shisui volunteered.

Izuki pouted. "Now I'm all alone on this side…"

Tsuki went under the table and resurfaced next to her best friend. "Better?"  
"Loads," Izuki hummed contentedly.

"It's like a double date!" Rui exclaimed, "Tsuki and me, Dara and Izuki!"

"Except I'm gay," his twin pointed out.

Rui waved it away with his chopsticks. "Oh, little details."  
00000000000000

"Hey Sasuke taichou!" Shisui hollered, "Wanna go to the woods?"

"Ok!" the ten year old said eagerly.

Itachi raised an eyebrow. "Taichou? Wasn't he Sasu-chan till yesterday?"

"Weren't you Ita-hime till yesterday?"  
"I still am," Itachi said smugly.

Shisui shot him a Look. "Not a good thing, man."

"Oh, right."

000000000in00000the000000woods00000

"No," Itachi corrected his sibling's grip on the weapon, "If you hold it like that, it'll take a finger off. Be more careful—don't show off."  
Shisui let seven shuriken fly with his eyes closed. The thudded into the bark of a tree nearly thirty feet away, forming a perfect S.

"Uwah!" Sasuke gasped, "So cool!"

Itachi glowered at his friend. "You too," he scowled, "Don't show off."

"Spoilsport," the other boy scoffed.

They watched Sasuke try the techniques, and sighed in unison. Shisui chuckled. "Remember that day? All he wanted to do was play hide-and-seek, and now he wants to play shuriken!"

Itachi watched his brother with mournful eyes. "He's grown. He's eager to fight. Eager to be a ninja."

Shisui glanced at him. "It's the way out world is, man. Not a whole lot we can do to change it. Besides, he'll know it's not all its cranked up to be soon enough."

"His dreams will be shattered," Itachi bemoaned the little boy's fate, "His illusions scattered. He'll know there's no good in the world…"

"There is good in the world," Shisui said quietly, "What happened to us is good. Friendship is good. Love is good. Brothers, parents, family, friends, sweethearts…**_bonds_**. There is good in the world."

"But there's bad. There's an over-whelming amount of bad. Enough to make you stop believing in the good."  
"That'll never happen to Sasuke," Shisui said with an unshakeable faith, "We won't let it. He has you for a brother, and you're so good it's scary."

Itachi laughed, hollowly. If only he knew!

"Don't do that,"Shisui tutted, annoyed, "You **are**. You may do stuff that you think is bad, but it's for the village. You're a good guy, Ita-hime. You're a great guy."

Before Itachi could retort at him for the nickname, or thank him for the compliment, a little red bird fluttered into the clearing.

"The ANBU summons," Itachi said, springing to his feet, "Shisui, watch Sasuke for me."

He disappeared, and Shisui met Sasuke's eyes. His own pain was reflected there, and suddenly he knew Sasuke _**had**_ grown. He'd grown enough to notice how his brother had changed. Shisui couldn't explain it, but it was true. Itachi had changed.

Ever since he'd joined the ANBU…ever since he'd received that curse of a mission as a double agent, Itachi had suffered. His conscience told him it was wrong, because he loved the Hidden Leaf so much, not just his clan. He loved the Naras, the Inuzukas, the Uzumakis, the Hyuugas and Aburames, the Hatakes and Yamanakas. He loved Konohagakure as a whole, and every little flaw about his beloved village wounded him deeply.

Ever since he'd learned of the Uchihas' plans for their coup d'etat, ever since he'd been asked to betray the village, he'd entered absolute _**hell**_. Shisui had lost count of the nights Itachi had tumbled through his window, sobbing, lost track of the times he'd held his friend through the night and told him, tried to convince him that things would get better. Itachi never believed him. Itachi seemed to have stopped believing in good.

"Shisui nii-san?" Sasuke said in a small voice, snapping the older boy out of his reverie. Shisui smiled broadly at him, pulling him into a hug, fiercely acknowledging without words that the two of them were the only ones who had any inkling that Itachi had changed, acknowledging this strange feeling of foreboding that shadowed them.

"I wanna go home," Sasuke said in a muffled voice. Shisui looked around him. Without Itachi, with all these new thoughts, the woods looked darker, less friendly.

"Let's go then," Shisui said, "Piggyback?"

Sasuke clambered on, and they returned to the village.

0000000000that00000000night00000000000

"Itachi!" Rui scowled, "You're late!"

"ANBU mission," the thirteen year old shrugged it off, "Is that beer?"

Tsuki nodded, tossing him a bottle.

"It's disgusting," Dara said despairingly, "I'll never know how you people drink that, it tastes like piss."

"How would you know?" Izuki asked, intrigued, "Ever tried it?"

"Beer?"

"Piss."

Dara wrinkled his nose. "You're gross when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk, only pleasantly inebriated."  
Tsuki chortled. "You're a living dictionary of annoyingness, that's what you are."  
Itachi sat between Rui and Izuki, who drank, across from Tsuki, Dara and Shisui, who didn't.

"How was Sasuke?" he questioned.

"He wanted to go home, so we played Scrabble at my house," Shisui answered, "How was the mission?"

"Mmm," he said. It was his signal that he didn't want to talk about it. Shisui took it to generally mean that it hadn't been hard on his conscience, which was also true.

"Hey you guys," Izuki said, "Guess what? My mom's pregnant."

"Are you kidding me?" Shisui gasped. Dara raised an eye brow. "Your parents still do that sort of thing? Ours stopped years ago."

"Either that or they've learned to do it quietly," Rui sniggered. Tsuki threw him a filthy look. He leaned across the fire to kiss her and nearly ended up falling in. Tsuki gasped as a few embers fell on his shirt, and batted them off.

"Baka," she sighed.

"The baka you love," he grinned, and she smiled, the way she smiled just for him. Itachi's heart broke a little more. How many romances like theirs would be cut short, how many lovers would die when it was time for Itachi to fulfill his ultimate mission?

Izuki groaned. "Get a room."

Rui sat back, looking pleased, and Tsuki just kept smiling.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**-fingers fall off-**

**hate…keyboard…doesn't have… the letter… 'n'!!**

**erm. and...taichou means captain, for those who don't know. -nods-**


	4. Wailsday

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: Eek! I don't own Naruto, so don't sue! –runs away from evil lawyers- SAVE ME MOMMY!!**

**Chapter Four****: **_**Wailsday**_

**The you that lies within my heart gives me strength. The you that stands beside me needs my strength. And…I love you both ways.**

**- Ayako, friend. (wow, I have a lot of friends, ne?)**

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"Ita-hime! Over here!"

Itachi scowled as he walked the water's edge to the dock, where Shisui was sitting. "What have I told you about calling me that in public?"

Shisui raised his eyebrows and made a point of looking around them. Not even leaves stirred in the trees, and only the barest of ripples were visible on the water. There wasn't a soul to be seen. "You're right," he said super-politely, "How inconsiderate of me to call you that in the middle of so many witnesses."  
Itachi laughed and sat down next to the boy. "Since when did you fish?"

"Since I found the equipment just lying here, oh-so-temptingly."  
"Thief," Itachi accused, flicking water into Shisui's face. The long-haired boy flinched, and scowled. Something tugged at his line, and he reeled it in.

"Look! I caught something, I caught something—what the!" he exclaimed as a large bunch of weeds surfaced and hit his face. Itachi laughed, genuine, pure, crystalline laughter that scared Shisui as much as it entranced him. No human being could laugh so honestly. Itachi was an angel.

He brushed the weeds back into the water, and poked Itachi's nose. "Ita-hime!"

"Sui-chan!" Itachi mimicked.

"RAWR!" Shisui roared, jumping onto his friend. Itachi staggered back and fell into the water. Shisui let him go and dove down, deep into the azure liquid, Itachi following closely. They swam until their lungs tore at their chests for air, until the water was so opaque they couldn't see the other, and then they let the undercurrent carry them to the surface, taking in greedy breaths as water streamed down their faces into their open mouths.

Shisui watched Itachi closely. Those happy eyes, dark as a moonless night, were glittering with water and joy. His hair was clinging to his face like a needy lover, tracing the sweep of his cheek, sticking to the smiling lips.

Itachi was happy now, yes—all his features showed that he was happy, true. So why did Shisui feel as though his friend was crying? Why did he feel the urge to comfort him? What was this sense of _**change**_? It was driving him nuts, and he couldn't explain it at all.

Itachi's smile slipped away as he turned his back on Shisui to strike for the shore. His onyx eyes glinted red and cold, his lips clamped together in a thin line. Why was Shisui looking at him like that? As though pitying him, as though he knew…as though he could guess…

Itachi shook his head. It was exactly because Shisui knew him so well that he'd never guess the truth. Uchiha Itachi would never betray his friends, his family, his clan. But ANBU Itachi would, the Itachi that would do anything to keep the peace in Konoha, the Itachi who'd come to fear his clan for the terrifying secrets they hid, for giving him this cursed blood, this talent that had ruined his life. For the sharingan…the light of the mangekyou…Itachi shuddered as the thought of what he would have to do to keep the kaleidoscope sharingan forever. At least fate still had some pity for him. He couldn't kill Sasuke. He didn't have to kill Sasuke. He'd received permission to keep his brother alive.

His heart lurched. Sasuke! What would he think of his nii-san, the idol of his childhood? It didn't matter. As long as Sasuke was alive, it didn't matter if he hated Itachi. Itachi would give up anything for Sasuke's well-being, even Sasuke himself.

"Itachi?" Shisui panted, "What's wrong?"

Itachi looked back in surprise. The dock was left in the distance, and he was facing the forest. Had he just swum the entire length of the lake? Shisui dropped to his knees, dog-tired.

"Don't _**do**_ that," he said crossly, breathing heavy, "I can't keep up with you, I nearly died."

"Nearly," Itachi said softly. Shisui looked up, and he saw worry in the gray black eyes.

"Ita-hime," he sighed, getting up, "Let's go home."

00000000000000000000

Izuki greeted them as they walked down the main street.

"Let's go for a movie!" she proclaimed, wedging herself between the two and hooking her arms through theirs.

Shisui pulled away. "I'd love to, but Otou-san is going to teach me a anew sharingan technique today."

"Argh!" she grunted, "Tsuki's on a mission, Rui and Dara are training, you're training…what's with all of you!? Itachi, will you come with me?"

He shrugged. "Sure, I'm free-eeeeeeeeee-eeeeeeeee-eeeeeeee!" he stretched out the last e as she whirled him around happily. "YAY!"

He shook her off. "Call yourself human? Maniac!"

Shisui laughed and watched his best friend be dragged off by their crush. He smiled to himself. This really _**was **_going just like _**that**_ week, and he wasn't even trying.

000000a00000000few000000hours00000000later000000000

"Well that was a spectacular waste of two and a half hours of my life," Izuki yawned, "I think I've finally seen the worst movie in the world."

Itachi kept his opinion to himself. He'd had a pleasant enough time, to tell the truth. The movie had been completely beyond him, but Izuki had been next to him, making fun of the film, occasionally banging her head against his shoulder at a particularly stupid scene or grazing his hand as she reached for popcorn.

He grinned to himself. It was when he was with her that he really remembered that even he was capable of feeling something as mundane as infatuation, that under the crushing weight of responsibility he was just a teenager in puppy love. "What are you so happy about?" Izuki asked, glancing at him curiously.

"You," he answered, truthful as ever.

Her cheeks flushed. "Idiot," she said lightly, "You're not supposed to _**say**_ that."

"But it's true," he argued, "Why lie? You **know** I like you."

"Nyah, nyah, can't hear you!" she sing-songed. He rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he really wondered what he saw in Izuki. Then he'd look into her face and he'd know.

As twilight stars gave way to the luminous moon, he walked her home. She sighed, and laced her arm though his. Impulsively, he buried her nose into her ear, breathing in the mango-and-peach tang of her shampoo, the faint, lingering tickle of an aquatic perfume, and best of all, her own scent, the fragrance of coconuts and palm trees.

Izuki pushed him away. "Men," she muttered, "Give them half an inch and they'll run a mile."

He chuckled, holding her hand again. "Nice line."  
"Thank you," she nodded, "I've been wanting to use it for weeks."

They slowed to a stop outside her house. She squeezed his hand, and let it go. "Bye," she smiled, and he pulled her in for a quick peck on the cheek.

"Bye, Izuki," he said, walking away.

She gazed at his back, her fingers on her cheek. What had gotten into him? He never even tried to touch her before—everyone knew he didn't like contact. But now he'd smelled her hair and held her hand and kissed her cheek, out of his own volition. It was nice, but it wasn't Itachi.

Izuki shivered as a breeze caressed the part of her skin where his lips had been.

"Goodbye…Itachi…"

000000000

Itachi's breathing was labored. First Shisui, then Izuki…both of them had looked at him in the same exact way. Unsettled, distinctly unsettled by him.

Itachi burrowed his head into his pillow.

The clan suspected him. Of course it did; he'd agreed to betray the village, what might clan mean to a person like that?

If only they knew…Itachi bit his lip.

The question was, had they been passing their suspicion to their children? Shisui, Izuki, Rui, Dara, Tsuki…did they all harbor ill will towards Itachi?

Itachi stopped himself before he wandered too far down that path, before he wandered into the maelstrom of doubt that was in his inner mind. He couldn't think about this, he couldn't. It would drive him insane.

He got up and went next door, to his otouto.

"Nii-chan?" Sasuke asked, sitting up in bed. Itachi sat next to him, smiling. "Hey Sasu-taichou," he said, "Want me to tell you a story?"

Sasuke nodded eagerly. He'd gotten used to his brother coming into his room, wanting to tell stories lately. Itachi wasn't sure whether he suspected that they weren't for his entertainment as much as they were for his older brother's distraction.

"Once upon a time there lived a kunoichi of great strength…"

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**Squeeeee bedtime story from Itachi, me want!!**

**Ahem. Otouto is little brother…taichou is captain…or have I already mentioned? **


	5. Troublesday

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: Omg I like, so don't own Naruto, like, thing! XD**

**Chapter Five****: **_**Troublesday **_

**Pain is when you look at me and I can see the disappointment in you eyes. **

**-Thorn-the-Fastidious-Witch**

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"You must keep an eye out for Uchiha Shisui," Danzou said, "He's been asked by the police force to watch your movements."

Itachi's head reeled. _**What?**_

"They suspect you quite strongly. You must finish your mission very soon, before they take any action. Obtain the mangekyou before the Festival of your clan reaches its zenith."

Translation? Kill Shisui before Sunday night.

"Itachi?"  
Itachi nodded. "Understood."  
The Sandaime walked into the room. When he saw the Uchiha, his eyes seemed to grow forty years older.

"Come here, child," he invited, holding out an arm.

_No_, Itachi thought fiercely_, I don't need your pity. It only makes it worse for me. I hate myself for doing this, I don't need your pity. You don't understand. You never could in a million years of trying, you can never understand my pain. _

When it became clear that Itachi wasn't coming, Sarutobi sighed heavily and moved towards the boy. Laying a hand on his shoulder he said, "It should not have to be this way. I wish it didn't have to be this way…but to keep the whole tree standing, we must chop off one diseased limb.

Itachi couldn't help but bristle. So his clan was a diseased limb, was it? Expendable, was it? No wonder the Uchihas were so bitter, no wonder they wanted things to change, they were segregated, used for their fighting abilities, yet shunned by most of the village.

The Hokage felt the ANBU member's shoulder tense until it was at a snapping point. He removed his hand and said, "Don't worry. You may have lost everything…but your little brother will be safe. I promise you—as long as I live and breath, Uchiha Sasuke will be under my protection. I'll give my last breath to keep him alive."

Itachi looked up, and all he could see besides pain in those eyes was honesty. It felt like a enormous weight had been lifted from his shoulders, as though the man had not only removed his hand, but removed the greatest worry Itachi had. He could trust the Sandaime Hokage to keep Sasuke alive.

0000000000000000000000000

The ANBU member walked alone, lost in his thoughts. In exchange for his brother's life, he was to destroy the rest of his clan, starting with his best friend.

Shisui…how would he kill him? The question wasn't '_**could**_ he' anymore…he had to. But how? Itachi just couldn't imagine fighting him, fighting him as though he was some enemy, stabbing him, emerging victorious…no. It wasn't possible. Shisui would only need to look into his eyes for a half second for Itachi to become paralyzed, for him to lose his resolve, for his heart to melt.

Sneak up on him? Like the coward that he was, sneak up behind the boy and slit his throat from the back so that he would never know who killed him? So that Itachi would no have to look into those eyes, those awful, trusting eyes…

Where? When? During the Festival? Today? At his home? In the woods? By the dock?

"Itachi!"

The familiar call did not bring the familiar feelings in Itachi. No sense of happiness, relief, lightheartedness overwhelmed him. No grin snuck across his face, and he didn't turn around to face Shisui. But it wasn't an expected feeling that rose up either—not sadness, or regret, but _**anger.**_ Anger…why had Shisui hid the truth? Why had he not told Itachi that he'd been asked to monitor him? How **long** had he been 'watching' for? Had this whole week been a lie? Had it been going on for a month, a year? All the times he'd been sought out, how many of those times had he been sought for his company, and how many times to be 'watched'?  
Shisui stopped next to his friend. "Gone deaf, Ita-hime?" he laughed. The laughter died on his lips as he caught sight of Itachi's face—sparkling with tears. But then, before he could react, Itachi shoved him away, and sprinted back up the street.

"Itachi!?" Shisui yelled desperately, following him, "Itachi!!"

00000000000000000

The shower water was icy—it seared his skin where there were no clothes. The skin under his garments shivered, its hairs rising, then the water seeped through, freezing it. He ripped his clothes off, and threw them in a dark, soggy mess in the corner of the shower. He hugged himself, stark naked, biting his lips hard until the metallic tang of blood coated his tongue, until the crimson liquid dribbled down his chin and colored the water with swirls of scarlet.

He slid down, his arms encircling himself, his nails digging into his skin.

Itachi craved showers, and often. It was a time when he could pretend the tears were the water of the gurgling showerhead, where he could scrub himself raw, trying to clean his soul more than his skin.

"Why…why!?"

it was a question he'd asked many times. The tiled walls never answered, and he didn't really expect an answer. What would they know?  
"Hate…I hate…this life…" he whispered brokenly. The walls did not embrace him, they didn't offer word of comfort, but he felt a little better anyway.

000000000000000000

"Itachi…"

His mother shook her head. "He doesn't want anyone right now…he's in the shower."

Shisui bit his lip, and left. What had happened to his friend?

0000000000000000000

How?

How to kill him?

How to kill the only one that understood him?

Itachi moaned and tossed in his sleep. The voice did not dissipate.

_0o0o0o_

_A dark place—a dark world. A place where one person's word was law. _

God?_ Itachi wondered. _

You,_ the voice replied, _You can show them their worst nightmares. You can make them suffer as much as they have made you suffer. You can show them true pain. Then! Oh, then! Then, they will understand you.

_Itachi pulled into himself out of revulsion. There was something about this place, something sinister and blood stained. _

What is this?_ He asked. _

The mangekyou sharingan,_ the voice told him. _

_Itachi shivered. Had he killed Shisui? _

It is mine_, the voice murmured_, But you can have it too. You have the potential, you have what it takes to become a hawk. You're a fledgling now, protected. You have what it takes to surpass me. I have seen your pain, Itachi. I know your pain.

_And this time, Itachi knew the voice did know. He had the kaleidoscope sharingan, which meant…which meant…he had…_

_Itachi whimpered. _Who are you?

Uchiha Madara.

But he's…the founder…_nothing made sense to Itachi. Wasn't this all just a dream? _

This is not a dream. I am in your home, in your room. I would rather speak to you in this way, through the mangekyou,_ Madara said, _don't fear me. I wish to help you.

_Itachi listened in morbid fascination as Uchiha Madara told him his story, his plan, his demands, his offers. _

_Itachi agreed. _

You must never tell Sasuke,_ he whispered_, never ever…let Sasuke know…let Sasuke love Konoha…let him hate me…

I won't_, Madara promised, _wake up now. I'm leaving a potion. A gesture of goodwill, it will help you sleep.

_0o0o0o_

Itachi woke up in a cold sweat. He saw a vial of white viscous liquid by the bedside. It had happened. It was true. Uchiha Madara was alive.

Exhausted, the boy drank the potion, not caring if it was poison, if Madara had tricked him. He fell back, and sleep claimed him. For the first time in a year, he sunk into a blissfully dreamless slumber.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**


	6. Frightday

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto! It belongs to Kishimoto Masashi. **

**Chapter Six****: **_**Frightday **_

**For I have sworn thee fair**

**And thought thee bright**

**Who art black as hell**

**And dark as night**

**-William Shakespeare**

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

"Sasuke…wake up, I need a favor," his onii-san said, nudging him awake.

"Mmmm?"  
"I'm going out today. Give okaa-san this note, alright?" he said softly, tucking a small scroll into the boy's hand.

"Mmm-hmm," Sasuke nodded, curling up. Itachi smiled, and silently vanished.

He reappeared in the pre-dawn mist of the forest near the Hidden Waterfall Village's entrance. He'd done several missions here; he had friends there. People that were indebted to him for saving their lives, or their children's lives. People that may not understand him, but would respect his need to be alone. He edged around the waterfall, into the hidden cavern behind it. He undressed, placing most of his clothes in a water proof bad, and prepared to dive into one of the pools that surfaced at the Village's lake.

Itachi paused to look at his reflection. A boy of thirteen gazed back at him, his hair let loose from the ponytail, obscuring his eyes. He touched his chest. Was that really him? Was he really so young? He brought his hand to his face, and smiled. The reflection mocked him with a leer of its own, strained, fake, and somehow heart-breaking.

Itachi dropped his smile, and dove in.

000000000000000

"Itachi!"

"Shibuki," he greeted. The young son of the leader of the Hidden Waterfall people smiled at him.

"What brings you here?"

Itachi hesitated. "I need a vacation."

Shibuki frowned. "Doesn't the Uchihas' Festival start today?"  
"It does."

The boy shrugged. "I'll tell papa you're here. You can board in the Tree. I'll have someone bring you breakfast at dawn."  
"Thank you," Itachi said sincerely.

"We owe you, we don't pretend we don't. and that you've come here _**now**_, of all days…I can respect your need to be alone, though I don't understand."

Itachi nodded. "I know," he said, and made his way to the great Tree in the middle of the Village Lake. He sighed. This village was so much more peaceful than Konoha, which was always alive, and more town than village. The Hidden Waterfall rivaled her in beauty, outstripped her in tranquility, and just fell short in spirit.

000000000000000000

"Not here?!" Fugaku exploded, "What the hell do you mean, not here?!"

"Danna-sama!" his wife pleaded, gesturing to their younger son, "Small pitchers have big ears."

"The hell I care! How dare he go and run away like this! The Commencing Day…and he's thirteen! He's an adult! Today we introduce him to our clan as such, and he has the _**gall **_to run off! How irresponsible! Unacceptable!"

"Danna-sama!" Mikoto cried, Sasuke burying his face into her kimono, hiding his tears.

"Itachi's not here?" a stunned Shisui asked, stepping into the room.

Rui and Dara followed. "Sorry," the latter said, "We shouldn't have eavesdropped. But where'd he go?"

"He didn't say!" Fugaku roared, "Ran off like a spineless son of a—"  
"_Enough_, danna-sama!"

"B-beluga whale and didn't say where he was going!" the father

waved the scroll around, "That little _**brat**_!"

Shisui took Sasuke into a hug, and Mikoto laid a hand on his shoulder, communicating her distress. He nodded.

"Rui, Dara, take Sasu-taichou to the Festival," he instructed, "I'll join up."

When they were gone, he turned to the parents. "May I see the note?" he asked politely. Fugaku thrust it to him. Mikoto walked over to him, and he crushed her in an aggressive embrace as if in apology.

Shisui paid them no attention, and scanned the letter with narrowed eyes.

"He hasn't run off," he sighed, "He's gone for the day. But he hasn't run away. I think the mission's really been getting to him. He just needed a break." This was also the explanation he'd offered himself yesterday.

Fugaku snorted, and Mikoto hugged him harder. Shisui laid the note down and surreptitiously departed.

000000000000  
"Gone!? What the hell do you mean, gone!?" Tsuki exploded.

"Tsuki!" Rui gasped, "Sasuke's _**right here**_!"

Izuki embraced the little boy warmly, cuddling him.

Tsuki scoffed. "Like he hasn't heard worse from you! Shisui, can you believe this? I _**told **_you not to ditch us!"

"Hey, I didn't tell him to go disappear on us," her friend objected, "What are you yelling at me for?"

"She's just upset that we're not all together," Dara said, "Leave her alone. I'm pretty pissed too. Stupid Itachi."

"Stupid Itachi," Izuki echoed.

"Stupid Itachi," Rui agreed.

"S-s-stupid nii-chan," Sasuke mumbled.

0000000000000000

"Aachooo!" Itachi hi sneezed. A girl brought him breakfast and bowed herself out. Itachi ate in silence, unsure of what he was expecting to find here. some vague part of him hoped the solution would appear as fantastically as it had six years ago, out of the air, from within himself. Another, more cynical part suspected that it would be harder this time around.

But for now, Itachi wasn't even sure what the solution's problem was. Was it the answer to how to kill Shisui, or was it how to avoid the mission altogether?

Lying back against the ancient wood, he wondered if he was crazy. Well, _**something **_was wrong here, he'd had hallucinations at the tender age of seven and he was readying himself to kill everyone he loved…but was he **crazy**? Maybe he _**was **_crazy, because he didn't_** think**_ he was…did that make any sense?

Itachi didn't think so.

But he knew he'd been asking himself way too many questions lately. He also knew that this was no time to have an identity crisis, or angst attack, or whatever it was these thoughts signified.

He was a man on a mission, dammit.  
Itachi blinked. Why was he in such a _**frivolous**_ mood? He placed a

damp cloth, dipped in the lake's water, over his face an tried to nap, to invoke the rich, somber feeling of weightlessness, thoughtlessness, dreamlessness he'd had last night, but it was a lost cause. The serenity of the situation, the tragedy of his plight was marred by the irrational happiness that possessed him. When he close his eyes, he saw joyous faces, felt feathery kisses of invisible lips, heard the giggles of someone being tickled, tasted the sweet touch of honey and smelt an exotic flower he couldn't name.

He scowled in irritation, then burst out laughing. So funny! Wait—what was?

Oh, oh! There he was again, that phantom Shisui!  
"Long time no see," Itachi cackled.

"You're drunk," he told him pityingly.

"No, _**you're **_drunk!"

A phantom Rui greeted the boy. "No, you _**are**_ drunk."

Itachi made a rude gesture. A phantom Izuki rapped him sharply on

the head, and he pulled her into his lap. Phantom Shisui made an irritated noise. "You fool, listen to me, and listen properly! I'm here to tell you what I did last time—talk to Shisui! Tell him everything. He'll know what to do. Do you understand?"

Itachi frowned at them. "Why are you all not thirteen?"  
"Because…I don't know, ask yourself!" phantom Dara said

waspishly.  
"You are me."

Phantom Tsuki laughed. "He got you there, dude."

Izuki rapped him again. "Oh, you big buffoon, did you forget that the water of the lake is intoxicating to foreigners? You're so drunk, but remember what Shisui told you—talk to Shisui!"

"Shisui told me to talk to Shisui?"

"It's probably a good thing that he's drunk," phantom Rui observed, "He was young then, he believed in hallucinations. But if he was sober I don't think we could've been here,"  
"You guys," Itachi said, starting to cry, "I love you all so much, I don't want to kill you…"  
They faded away, and he cried himself to sleep.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

**Ah! The Hidden Waterfall Village is from the second…third (?) Naruto movie. The one with Shibuki the cowardly leader, and the hero water…**

**Oh, and 'small pitchers have big ears' is from some Laura Ingalls book. That, surprise, I don't own!**


	7. Shatterday

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!**

**Ah, I tried a different way of writing in this chapter, as an experiment, and it turned out rather funny…hmm.  
****Chapter Seven****: **_**Shatterday**_

**I don't understand. I never do. But I try, and sometimes, that's all you need. **

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

Itachi was weary…oh, so weary! He felt like a million years' worth of responsibilities and aches and wounds lay on his shoulders, and he was cursed to live with it till he died. He was tired of pain, tired of tears, tired of complaining to himself about his life.

But he couldn't die just yet.

First he had to wake up. Up, Itachi, up…there you go. Well that wasn't so hard. Now, what next?

He winced. Find a way to stop that headache! Kami above, what had he drunk? After thinking about it for a few minutes, he remembered. He looked around to see a tray of food with a small scroll under it. It was hangover medicine.

He checked his internal clock. Early morning. He winced again, recalling that he'd told his parents he'd only be gone a day.

Oh well, he could always blame the water.

For now…he was starving. The food was eaten in some sort of record time, and he scribbled a hasty thank you note to his hosts and grabbed his belongings, ready to face his stinker of a life once again.

The journey back to Konoha was awful at best. With every step he took, Itachi lost a little of whatever vigor he'd gained, with every mile he happiness slipped away until he was downright sullen as he walked through the Hidden Leaf's gates.

He forced himself to look around, and formulate a plan. Firstly, what were his aims today?

Apologize to parents for running away…apologize to friends for running away…apologize to Danzou-san for running away…kill best friend…

Hmm. That list was pretty morbid…maybe he'd push back the kill best friend thing.

So meant…right. First head home.

Itachi headed home.

Check, that was pretty easy! Next-drop off bag, take a shower.

Du dut du…du dut du….

Done with the shower, Itachi stepped out into the hustle and bustle of the Festival. Ok, now what? Locate parents and be polite to everyone.

"Itachi! I missed you yesterday!" Momo-san, the wife of the baker. _You're killing her soon…_

"I was ill-disposed, Momo-san."

"Kyaaaaaaaa! Itachi-kun!" a gaggle of girls. He deftly sidestepped them. _You're killing them soon…_

"Good morning ladies."

"Itachi-san!" Roku, a genin who admired him. _You'll be killing him soon…_

"Hello Roku, have you seen my parents?"

"Itachi!"

"Otou-san, okaa-san, I'm sorry for missing yesterday. I needed to be alone for a while. It was foolish of me and shall not happen again." _Because I'll be killing you soon…_

His mother hugged him, and he awkwardly hugged back. "It's okay honey, you've been working hard. Hasn't he, danna?"

Fugaku looked down at his elder son. "So Shisui was right—you were taking a break," he harrumphed, "Hmm. Never mind that you weren't here yesterday. You have been carrying your weight, and more besides it…more than expected of my child."

Itachi bowed. "Where is Sasuke?"

"With your friends," his mother laughed, "They're taking such good care of him, he won't come to us!"

To the taro stand then.

"Shisui nii-san, it's nii-chan!"

his friends turned to look, and Sasuke ran to hug him. "Stupid nii-chan," he said, "You made us worry!"

"I'm sorry," he smiled, "I'm really very sorry."

Everyone joined into a big group hug. It would have been a very sentimental moment…had Sasuke not chosen that moment so squeak, "I can feel nii-chan's thingy!"

Upon which they all let go, blushing.

Itachi grabbed Shisui's collar as he made to move away.

"Tomorrow, at twilight, meet me at the dock, alone. Ok?"

Shisui looked at him like he was crazy. "The Festival!"

"Trust me Shisui, this is much more important than the Festival."

Shisui nodded.

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**


	8. Sundayagain

The Last Week

**The Last Week **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!  
****Chapter Eight****: **_**Sunday Again**_

**When you die, take me with you. We'll have an adventure, beyond the light, in the fields of eternity. **

**x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x**

The day passed without incident. Shisui, Itachi, Tsuki, Izuki, Rui and Dara went about the Festival, tirelessly working to peddle fun and laughter through the air.

Twilight came. The group disbanded to meet in a few hours for the Grand Banquet.

Itachi waited by the water's edge in nervous anticipation. He simply wouldn't think about whatever he was going to do. It was best this way.

"Ita-hime!" Shisui glomped him. Itachi stumbled a bit into the water, flinching as a rock cut through his shoe, into his skin. He looked up. The

moon was only a few days away from being full.

He sighed. "Shisui…you love the full moon, don't you?"

"Who doesn't? I don't love it anymore than you do. Why?" Shisui laughed.

"Nothing…let's go for a row."

They got into a little dinghy, and rowed into one of the surface currents, and then locked oars.

Itachi fiddled with his hands. "Shisui…I have to tell you something. Actually, I have to tell you a lot of things."

Shisui listened with a curious expression as Itachi explained everything: the traitor turning traitor, Madara being alive, his plans for Sasuke, everything.

Itachi finished. He was thirsty, but didn't dare take a drink from the bottle in the middle of the boat.

"Shisui?"

The boy took a deep breath and poked his nose.

Itachi blinked. "Shisui?" a pleading note crept into his voice. He'd expected (wanted?)Shisui to make a fuss, demand to summon their friends, slap some sense into Itachi, and above all, find a way, find a way to solve everything, to save Itachi. This withholding of opinion frightened him.

Shisui moved forward and slid his arms around Itachi, pinning his arms to his side, holding him.

"Ita-hime…I thought I knew you, but I had no idea how much pain you were in. I thought I was clever for figuring out that something was wrong, but I never could have guessed how much was wrong. They're too cruel—too cruel to make you do this, too cruel to take advantage of your love for the village and use it against the clan. They're inhuman. I'm sorry Itachi…I had no idea."

He was crying. They both were. They wept for the cruelty of the world they lived in, the world that ripped apart bonds so callously. They wept at the unfairness of it all, that their time could end like this—that their time could end at all!  
"Shisui…what do I do?"

Shisui looked at him. "You do what you're told."

It took a moment to sink in. when it did, Itachi lurched back as though lashed. "W-what!"

Shisui held his face in his hands, glaring fiercely at his friend.

"They're _**inhuman**_. But they're right—every last Uchiha has a grudge against Konoha. They want to raze the village to the ground. Our village, Itachi! If everything goes according to your plan, if Sasuke grows up to be a hero, and raises the clan again…they will be revered, not feared. Konohagakure will learn to love her Uchihas once again. She must! Everyone here, now…they hate the village and everything it represents. If they start a civil war, other countries will take advantage. If they win, they will change Konoha so that the situation is reversed. Uchihas will be the tyrants, and this will happen again from some other clan. If they lose, most of them will be executed, and the rest will be even more set against the village. You must…you can…you have to stop this."

Itachi shook his head. "NO, I won't. I just won't kill you."

"You were going to anyway. What's stopping you now?"

Itachi opened and closed his mouth several times, at a loss for what to say.

"You can't put anyone else through this. We can't make anyone else do this. You know the pain, Itachi, I don't, would you make anyone, even your worst enemy, suffer this pain? We can stop this. The history of our clan is steeped in treachery and tragedy. It's time we had a rebirth," Shisui smiled sadly.

"How? How do I…"

The boy stood up in the small boat, and slipped soundlessly into the water. Itachi scrambled to the dinghy's side, and Shisui shivered in the water, reaching for Itachi's hands.

"Push me under," he whispered, "And hold me down. Don't let me touch you. When it's over, tie my hands behind my back, and write a suicide note."

Itachi stroked his face. "I…"

"…love you," Shisui finished for him, "I know. You're my best friend, I love you too man."

Itachi placed his hands on Shisui's shoulders, and said, "You're my best friend too, and you always will be. If I could change this, it'd be the other way around."

Shisui laughed, the water bubbling at his mouth. "Idiot, if we can change this, why not so that no one has to die?"  
They smiled at each other, and Itachi pushed down.

"I trust you with my life, Itachi," he said, even as he was taking it away. Itachi nodded. He knew what Shisui meant.

He water rose up above his head. Itachi kept his grip on Shisui's shoulders light but reassuring. A minute slipped by, and Shisui began shaking, his body instinctively fighting for breath. He squirmed, but Itachi was strong. Shisui looked up, his sharingan flaming, bright enough to illuminate his face despite the water's blackness. His mouth was opened wide, sucking in water. He spasmed, but Itachi just gritted his teeth and tightened his grip. The bubbles bursting forth from Shisui's mouth stopped abruptly. Itachi waited another minute before using the dinghy's docking rope to tie Shisui's hands. He didn't need the sharingan to forge a note, he knew Shisui's handwriting. Then he slid into the water and held his friend's corpse close.

He considered how easy it would be, how sweetly simply to take a kunai to his own throat. So simple…he'd never have to worry about anything again.

But no. Shisui had died for a reason. Itachi would carry out his plan, and Sasuke would emerge as Konoha's greatest hero, greatest Uchiha, raising his clan to be a name respected and loved.

"Someday," he whispered to Shisui's unhearing ears, "Someday we'll meet again. We'll have a reunion under the full moon, the stars. Until then, remember me, and I'll remember you."

A stabbing pain lanced him. He lost his grip on Shisui's body to scratch at his eyes, to stop the crimson that seared across his vision, staining and blurring everything with blood…with Shisui's blood. What was this!? The pain was almost intolerable…almost. He heard a laugh, or the echo of a Laugh, and Shisui's proud, beaming face flashed across his vision once with a piercing clarity…then everything was normal. Well…not entirely normal.

He had the mangekyou.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.


End file.
